Invitation — Deuteronomy 33:12
"Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders."
Quiet
Bible Song — Psalm 137:1-4, 7-9
By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
There on the poplars
we hung our harps,
for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
How can we sing the songs of the Lord
while in a foreign land? ...
Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did
on the day Jerusalem fell.
"Tear it down," they cried,
"tear it down to its foundations!"
Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,
happy is the one who repays you
according to what you have done to us.
Happy is the one who seizes your infants
and dashes them against the rocks.
Bible Reading — Galatians 3:26-4:7
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Quiet
Dwelling
Read again, perhaps out loud ... how has God's Word moved you? Ponder and meditate what has connected with your heart or mind ... pray to God what it is that has moved you today ... turn your thoughts to God and quietly enjoy being with him.
Free Prayer
- for governments, world leaders, and the needs of our world
- for the continent of South America
- for military personnel and peacekeepers
Prayer — WLC 74
Adopting God, thank you for being not only the all-knowing architect of space and history but also my loving Father. You have made space in your heart for me, and I am embraced as your child. I praise you for the wonder that you have chosen me, that I have been brought in from the outside — acceptable, accepted, and loved in Christ. In Jesus' name, amen.
Blessing — Philippians 1:11
May you be "filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God."